Lilienthal Bekas
| Company type | Aircraft manufacturer |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Headquarters | Ukraine |
| Products | Ultralight aircraft |
The Lilienthal Bekas—known in English as the Lilienthal Snipe and in Russian as Лиленталь Х-32 Бекас—is a Ukrainian ultralight aircraft featuring a high wing and a single engine in pusher configuration, designed to accommodate two or three occupants. It first took to the skies in 1993 and has since been manufactured extensively, with multiple variants produced.
Design and development
The Bekas is constructed as a pod-and-boom ultralight with a multi-role capability, featuring a high-mounted wing and a low-positioned boom that supports a T-tail. The cockpit pod, which is extensively glazed for visibility, seats two occupants in tandem and supports a wing of constant chord at its upper section. This wing is supported underneath by two sets of cross-braced struts connecting to the lower fuselage and includes flaps capable of deflecting up to 40°. The landing gear is fixed tricycle type, with the nosewheel capable of swiveling freely, all mounted directly on the pod.
Positioned behind the cabin atop the rear of the pod is the engine, which can vary within a power range of 60 to 100 horsepower (45 to 75 kW). Commonly installed powerplants include two- or four-cylinder Rotax engines such as the Rotax 582, 912UL, or 912ULS. Some models feature an engine cowling while others do not. The slender boom incorporates a broad-chord vertical stabilizer with a straight swept leading edge; certain versions extend this fin forward using a fillet. The rudder hinge line, slightly swept as well, is located at the boom's aft extremity. The horizontal tailplane maintains a constant chord and is supported at each side by bracing struts attached to the boom’s end.
This aircraft holds certification under the Joint Aviation Requirements JAR-VLA standard.
Operational history
The X-32 Bekas took to the skies for its maiden flight in March 1993 and achieved Ukrainian certification by 1995. Certification for the Rotax 582 and Rotax 912 engine variants followed in 2003 and 2005, respectively. From 2003 until 2006, Jordan Aerospace Industries (JAI) marketed the X-32 and X-34 under the names RumBird X-32 and GulfBird X-34. In India and neighboring South Asian regions, these models are both produced and distributed by Engenious Aerospace Ltd., their local partners. By the year 2009, sales of the X-32 had surpassed 400 units.
Variants
Information sourced from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2010/11
- X-32AT Bekas
- A sport-oriented model approved for limited aerobatic maneuvers.
- X-32UT Bekas
- Trainer variant featuring dual controls.
- X-32CK Bekas
- Designed for agricultural applications, this version can be equipped with spray bars supplied by a tank that replaces the rear seat.
- X-32CX Bekas
- Another agricultural model specifically intended for crop spraying operations.
- X-32A Bekas
- Equipped with a ski-type landing gear.
- X-32H Bekas
- Configured with a float undercarriage for water operations.
- X-34 Bekas
- Features an expanded cabin accommodating three occupants, with two passengers seated side-by-side on a rear bench seat; wingspan increased by 500 mm and powered by either a Rotax 912S or Rotax 914 engine.
Specifications (X-32)
References
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- Official website
- Engenious Aerospace (archived version from 2016-12-22)